The Fiji Rugby Union is currently waiting for explanations from the Fijiana 7s coaches and the program manager regarding the team’s disappointing performance at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Head coach Saiasi Fuli acknowledged that the tournament did not go as planned, despite the extensive support the team had received in the lead-up to the Olympics.
Fuli had three years to prepare the national team for Paris, with several players making their second Olympic appearance, showcasing their top-level experience.
Although the 2020 Olympics, held in Tokyo a year later, set a strong foundation for Fijiana, both the men’s and women’s teams faced challenges in the subsequent World SVNS Series seasons.
Unlike the men’s team, which underwent a coaching change just four months before the Paris Olympics, the Fijiana team had consistent leadership and largely the same player roster over the past three years.
“As with all tournaments, we will be conducting a review. This will happen once the team returns from Paris,” stated FRU interim chair Peter Mazey.
Since the Tokyo Games, Fijiana has not secured a title in the World Series but managed to maintain a sixth-place standing in both the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 series. However, their performances were inconsistent, with the best result being fourth place in Singapore and the lowest finish at 11th in the Los Angeles tournament in March.
Despite the mixed results throughout the season, there were high expectations for a strong performance in Paris.
“The recent results at the Olympics, including defeats to China and Brazil, are indeed disappointing. These outcomes do not reflect the immense talent and hard work our players and coaching staff have put in. However, we will have discussions with the coaches and our program manager once the team returns,” Mazey added.
The future of Fuli, who began coaching the Fijiana team in 2019, now hinges on the FRU’s review, which will take place when the team returns on Sunday.